Change of Soloist for Beethoven 9th Symphony Concerts

Airi Sunada graduated from Tokyo College of Music and its postgraduate school, and completed the New National Theatre's Opera Studio. While studying at the Opera Studio, she received the All Nippon Airways scholarship for trainee singers, and studied further at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opera Studio. She received grants from the Agency for Cultural Affairs for the program of overseas study for upcoming artists to study in Milan and Lugano, Switzerland, and also as a recipient of the Gotoh Memorial Cultural Award for New Artists, she received training in Milan.

She won the first prize, as well as the Iwatani Prize (Audience Award), Masuzawa Prize and INPEX Prize in the 94th Music Competition of Japan in 2025, and the second prize and Audience Award at the 23rd Tokyo Music Competition held in the same year. Other awards she received include second prize at the Giuditta Pasta International Vocal Competition, second prize at the Salvatore Licitra Opera Competition, third prize at the Premio Marco Koliqi, Special Prize at the Premio Fausto Ricci, first prize and Milan Grand Prize at the Italian Vocal Concorso, third prize and Best Singing Award at the Italy-Japan Vocal Music Concorso. At the Magda Olivero Competition, she received the Special Scholarship Award, and was selected for the role of Musetta in La Bohème in the opera casting category.

After making her debut as Norina in Don Pasquale at the Teatro Comunale di Sassari, she has appeared in numerous productions in Italy, singing the role of Norina at opera houses, including Teatro Rendano Cosenza, the Teatro Carcano, Milan, Teatro Sociale di Busto Arsizio, and Sarzana Opera Festival, and also sang the role of Gilda from Rigoletto, Violetta in La Traviata and Musetta in La Bohème. While in Japan, she sang the role of Mary in La fille du regiment at the Nissay Theatre, and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi staged at the New National Theatre. She has been scheduled to sing the role of Frasquita in Carmen with the Gunma Symphony Orchestra in February 2026, Madame Cortese in Il viaggio a Reims with Fujisawa City Opera in March, Sophie in Werther at the New National Theatre in May, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Nissay Theatre in November. She is a resident of Milan. This is her first appearance with the NHK Symphony Orchestra.